The Future of Same-Sex Marriage
As marriage laws are now changing daily, the National LGBT Bar Association is hosting a national call-in to discuss the current landscape of marriage equality and recent developments in the struggle for state-level recognition of same-sex relationships. The call will be led by Lambda Legal’s Jennifer Pizer and GLAD’s Mary Bonauto, two of the nation’s top marriage litigators.
The call will take place on Tuesday, May 12th, at 6:30pm EDT. The call is free and open to the public, but only current members of the National LGBT Bar Association will be allowed to ask questions during the call. To register for the call or to become a member of the National LGBT Bar Association, please visit:
The Future of Same Sex Marriage National Call-In
Join the National LGBT Bar Association
Student Leadership Awards: Deadline June 1st
The National LGBT Bar Association is pleased to announce the opening of the nominations process for its annual Student Leadership Awards. The Awards are presented each year to graduating law students who have demonstrated a unique level of commitment to serving the LGBT community throughout their law school careers.
“Law school is a time of many competing opportunities,” said D’Arcy Kemnitz, Executive Director of the Association. “We are proud to be able to recognize those students who have dedicated their time, talents and energy to serving our community.”
The Student Leadership Awards will be presented at the National LGBT Bar Association’s Annual Career Fair and Conference, to be held September 10-12th in Brooklyn, NY. Award recipients will be provided registration, lodging, and airfare, and must be present to receive the Leadership Award. To be eligible, a candidate must have graduated or must be graduating from law school between September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009.
To nominate a candidate for a Student Leadership Award, one may submit a statement, between 250 and 500 words, indicating why the nominee deserves recognition for his or her service to the LGBT community throughout law school, along with the nominee’s resume. The deadline for nominations is June 1, 2009, and should be submitted to StudentLeadership@LGBTbar.org.
For more information, please visit:
National LGBT Bar Association Student Leadership Award
Michael Greenberg Writing Competition Deadline: June 1st
The National LGBT Bar Association is proud to announce the launch of its eleventh annual Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition, calling for scholarly submissions on legal topics that affect the LGBT community.
The contest is open to all students enrolled in law school during the 2008-2009 academic year. Three major prizes will be awarded:
- First Place: The top prize includes a $3000 scholarship, publication in the Journal of Law and Sexuality at Tulane University Law School, and registration, airfare & lodging for the National LGBT Bar Association’s 2009 Annual Career Fair and Conference in Brooklyn, NY.
- First Runner Up: A $2000 scholarship, plus registration, airfare & lodging for the National LGBT Bar Association’s 2009 Annual Career Fair and Conference.
- Second Runner Up: A $1000 scholarship, plus registration, airfare & lodging for the National LGBT Bar Association’s 2009 Annual Career Fair and Conference.
“Today’s law students will be leading tomorrow’s civil rights battles” said D’Arcy Kemnitz, Executive Director of the LGBT Bar Association. “We are very pleased to be able to recognize, support and encourage the best and brightest student voices on cutting edge LGBT legal issues.”
All entries should be sent to WritingCompetition@LGBTbar.org, and must be received by Monday, June 1st. For additional details, including contest guidelines and a full listing of past winners, please visit:
Michael Greenberg Writing Competition
Law Student Congress National Call In
The National LGBT Bar Law Student Congress is entering a new and exciting phase. The Congress is looking to formally develop a structure to enable it to operate on various initiatives of concern to LGBT law students at the national level (Solomon Amendment initiatives, development of law school anti-discrimination policies and LGBT law student groups, etc.). To do so, we need your help!
On Thursday, June 11th (6:00pm EDT), the National LGBT Bar Association is hosting a national call in for LGBT and ally law students from across the country to help develop a new structure for the LGBT Bar’s Law Student Congress. If you are interested in participating in this important process that will determine how LGBT law students are organized nationally for years to come, please email us at LSCStructure@LGBTbar.org by June 1st.
PLEASE FORWARD TO ANY STUDENTS OR STUDENT GROUPS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED. All LGBT individuals and allies are welcome to participate.
Federal Court Victory for Transgender Veteran
Last week, a federal judge awarded Diane Schroer, a transgender woman and veteran, $491,190 (the maximum compensation allowed) after the Library of Congress denied her a position because of her gender identity. The amount included back pay and benefits and amounts for emotional pain and suffering as well as other out-of-pocket expenses.
The National LGBT Bar Association would like to congratulate Diane Schroer and her legal team (the ACLU’s Sharon McGowan, Ken Choe, James Esseks and Art Spitzer), for this important victory. For more information about the case, please visit:
Seeking LGBT Litigator Liaison to the ABA
The American Bar Association’s Litigation Section currently has an LGBT Litigator Committee which is dedicated to educating the Section on issues and concerns specific to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender litigators.
If you are currently a member of the ABA Section of Litigation would like to serve as a liaison between the Committee and the National LGBT Bar Association, please email a short statement outlining your interest in the position to Juan Garcia at Juan@LGBTbar.org.
For more information about the LGBT Litigator Committee, please visit:
MCCA Scholarship for First-Year Law Students Deadline: June 1st
The MCCA Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program provides scholarship support for newly entering first year law students. The Scholarship Program will provide scholarships at $10,000 per year for up to three years. The total commitment per student is up to $30,000. In addition, several students will also receive a one-time award of $10,000 to assist with their first year expenses. MCCA intends to foster mentoring opportunities for the selected scholars as well as assist in the placement of the winners in paid summer internship positons with corporate law departments during the summer immediately following successful completion of their first year of law school.
For more information about the scholarship program or to apply online, please visit:
MCCA Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship
Upcoming Events
Law Student Summer Kickoff Reception
May 21, 2009 - New York, NY
Join the New York LGBT legal community as they prepare to welcome the National LGBT Bar Association’s Annual Career Fair and Conference attendees this coming September 10-12th in Brooklyn! Space is limited. Students (1L, 2L and 3Ls) are encouraged to RSVP immediately. For more information, please contact the LGBT Bar at (202) 637-7661 or Info@LGBTbar.org
In-House Counsel Reception Event
June 4, 2009 – San Francisco, CA
Join the National LGBT Bar Association to honor a San Francisco In-House attorney who has shown their dedication to the cause of LGBT equality in the legal profession. This is a ticketed event open only to event sponsors and corporate counsel (who may attend as guests of the LGBT Bar). For tickets, contact Justin Johns at (202)637-7664 or Justin@LGBTbar.org
Love, Law and Litigation: A Dialog of Bias in American Sexual & Gender Identity
June 9, 2009 – Minneapolis, MN
The dramatic works of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner will be the inspiration for Love, Law and Litigation: A Dialog of Bias in American Sexual and Gender Identity, a June 9th continuing legal education event presented via Webcast nationwide in partnership by the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and West LegalEdcenter. Mr. Kushner – winner of the Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy Award and two Tony Awards – will take part in this CLE as a panelist.
Members of the National LGBT Bar Association are invited to enjoy this program at a special discount, as the event explores polarized social attitudes related to sexual orientation and gender identity and their impact on law throughout the country. What is it about how we live, who we love, and how we see ourselves that creates such deep social, political, and legal divides? Few other social issues remain as polarizing as sexual orientation and gender identity. Eschewing any single legal or political analysis, this course focuses on firsthand accounts of individuals' experiences with competing legal, social, and political forces and on the divisive effect of these forces on state and federal jurisprudence. The program, to be held at the Guthrie Theater June 9th from 2 – 4 p.m., will be simulcast nationwide by West LegalEdcenter . Love, Law and Litigation complements the Guthrie’s landmark theater-wide celebration honoring the plays of Tony Kushner, best-known for Angels in America.
To join us at the Guthrie for the live program in Minneapolis, register at:
Love, Law and Litigation (in person)
Promotion code: GUTH0609LG to receive a 20% discount for LGBT Bar members.
To view the live simulcast anywhere, register at:
Love, Law and Litigation (live simulcast)
Promotion code: GUTH0609LG to receive a 20% discount for National LGBT Bar Association members